Forefathers - the professional genealogy research service

Forefathers is a professional family history research service based in England. If you have a genealogy project you need help with, however big or small, we'll be happy to help.

Don't know where to start?

We can do the work for you, or, if you prefer, work with you.

Made a start, but hit a brick wall?

We can try to get you over that brick wall.

Can't get to England to do the research?

We're here already. Let us do it for you!

If you're not sure whether using our services is the right thing for you, just phone or email us and we'll be happy to explain what we could do for you. We can quote for a simple lookup at a record office, taking as little as half an hour, or for several months' work.

Worried about costs?

It's true that research can be open-ended (you can spend a lifetime looking for your ancestors if you are so inclined!), and it can be hard to predict in advance how long things will take, or in what direction enquiries might lead. That's why we always like to agree a budget for the research we undertake on your behalf, then do what is possible within those limits, keeping in close touch with you at all times, updating you on progress regularly. At the end, we present our results and give you some ideas for further research, and then let you decide what else we should do for you, if anything.

Having agreed a budget with us in advance, you can be sure you will not get billed for more than you were expecting.

How can we help?

Not a problem. We can often make a start with as little as your own name and date and place of birth.

Been researching your tree for years but hit a brick wall?

Our Blockbuster service gives you an affordable way of employing a professional to try to get you over that hurdle and set you off in the right direction again. We will use our knowledge of little-used specialist sources and other tricks of the trade to see if we can spot something you've missed;

Made a start but need help getting back further?

We're experienced in working with the harder, earlier sources. Have a look at our Pay-as-you-grow package.

Need some information looked up?

We're happy to quote for visiting any archive centre or library in the U.K. on your behalf.

Lost touch with a relative? Wondering what happened to that person you used to know?

We can help with that too. We've plenty of experience of tracing people in modern sources as well as historical ones.

Why not give the gift of Family History?

If someone you love is a keen family historian, why not give them one of our gift cards as a Christmas or birthday present? We might just be able to break down that brick wall they've hit in their research, which could be the greatest gift they've ever received! Gift cards start at just £20.